Benefits of green cleaning



Benefits of green cleaning

Health benefits

Harmful chemicals are prevalent not only in general consumer cleaning products but also in foods, cosmetics, home construction, clothing and many industries. In the average American home, around 63 synthetic chemical products can be found. This equates to approximately 10 gallons of hazardous chemicals. By using more ecologically-friendly products, including green cleaning formulations and products, consumers may be able to reduce human health risks by reducing exposure to these and other harmful chemicals.

Toxic ingredients found in common household and consumer products

• chlorine bleach can irritate the lungs and eyes and in waterways can become toxic organochlorines

• Napthas and mineral spirits

• Phthalates (found in furniture polish)

• Ether-type solvents

• Methylene chloride

• Butyl cellosolve and petroleum distillates (found in oven cleaning products)

• Sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide (found in drain cleaning products)

• Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) (found in detergents and disinfectants, and are suspected hormone disruptors)

• Ammonia (which is poisonous when swallowed, extremely irritating to respiratory passages when inhaled and can burn the skin on contact)

• Indiscriminate use of antibacterial cleansers containing triclosan may be contributing to the rise of antibiotic-resistant germs

• Butyl cellosolve ethylene glycol monobutyl ether is poisonous when swallowed and a lung-tissue irritant

• Diethanolamine (DEA) (can combine with nitrosomes to produce carcinogenic nitrosamines that penetrate skin)

• Fragrances may contain phthalates, chemicals linked to reproductive abnormalities and liver cancer in lab animals and to asthma in children

• Sodium hydroxide (found in drain, metal and oven cleaners; extremely irritating to eyes, nose and throat and can burn tissues on contact

• Sodium lauryl sulfate (a common sudsing agent, can penetrate the skin and cause contact dermatitis)

Potential adverse health effects from exposure to common household products

• Glass cleaners may contain Isopropyl alcohol which can irritate the skin, eyes, nose and throat, and ammonia which can irritate the skin and eyes and cause coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.

• All-purpose cleaners may contain 2-butoxyethanol which can cause headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness and confusion, in addition to irritating the eyes, nose, throat and mouth.

• Bathroom cleaners may contain Sodium hypochlorite/chlorine which can severely irritate the skin; may cause eye damage, coughing or shortness of breath.

• Mixing green cleaning chemicals studies by the US Green Building Council have shown that nearly half of the benefits of using green cleaning products have to deal with the process in which they are manufactured and mixed. Mixology is important because that is the phase in which much of the toxicity of the chemicals becomes aerosolized. By mixing inside a negative pressured closet or outside (away from kids), this harm can be neutralized.

The Best Non-toxic Ways to Clean Your Home

By Matthew Hoffman, MD

WebMD Feature provided in collaboration with Healthy Child Healthy World

Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD

Keeping your home clean doesn't require weapons of mass disinfection, experts tell WebMD. Antibacterial and harsh cleansers are usually unnecessary, and some raise concerns about our health and the environment.

These products don't work any better than their natural or non-toxic counterparts, and they damage the environment and potentially place our long-term health at risk.

"The antibacterial soap we buy in the store doesn't clean hands or reduce the spread of illness any better than regular soap," says Allison Aiello, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan.

You can keep your home just as clean for much less money, safeguard your personal health, and even protect the environment by going back to the basics.

Chlorine Bleach: What Are the Alternatives?

Chlorine bleach is one of the oldest cleaners. It's also one of the harshest. Chlorine bleach kills germs on contact, and isn't much friendlier to your skin, if accidentally splashed. Manufacturers include chlorine bleach in a wide variety of cleaning products as well as some laundry and dishwasher detergents.

Bleach is also renowned for its mold-killing ability, but it's not the only way to kill mold and mildew. Hydrogen peroxide or vinegar also works to kill mold.

Because it's used so frequently, chlorine bleach is the most common cleaner that kids accidentally swallow. And chlorine poses another special danger: when mixed with ammonia -- another common ingredient of cleaning products -- and acidic cleaners, such as toilet bowl cleaners, the mixture releases poisonous gasses. Since it's hard to know what's in every product, it's best to simply not mix cleaning products at all. While it's safe to pour old cleaning products down the drain, don't pour more than one at a time.

Non-toxic Solutions

• Use a hydrogen-peroxide-based bleach in your laundry instead of chlorine bleach. Hydrogen peroxide kills mold and mildew, sanitizes counters and cutting boards, and removes stains from counters.

• For household cleaning, opt for chlorine-free products to eliminate the risks. Specifically look for "chlorine-free" on the label. Use one product at a time, and rinse surfaces thoroughly.

• A simple tip: Keep an old toothbrush to scrub counter and those hard-to-clean tile corners.

 

Ammonia: Avoiding Hazardous Fumes

Want a clue to ammonia's hazardous properties? Consider its well-known harsh smell. Undiluted ammonia is highly irritating to the eyes and respiratory system. Because it does everything from cutting through grease to cleaning windows, ammonia is found in a wide range of conventional cleaning products. There are other ways to clean that are just as effective.

Non-toxic Solution

• Look for "green" and non-toxic cleaners that don't contain chlorine, alchohols, triclosan, triclocarbon, lye, glycol ethers, or ammonia. Choose ones that say "petroleum-free," "90% biodegradable in 3 days," or "phosphate-free."

• Choose safer products that say "petroleum-free," "biodegradable," "phosphate-free," "VOC-free," and "solvent-free."

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